December Boys

He may be the world8217;s most celebrated orphan, but this is apparently not why Daniel 8216;Harry Potter8217; Radcliffe was chosen for this role. He happened to be at the right time, right place for the film on Michael Noonan8217;s novel about four orphaned boys who find their friendships strained when they vie for the attention of the same family, hoping to get adopted.

But what is a poignant story about small yet grown-up boys who realise their future may lie in the first impressions of complete strangers is a strangely wishy-washy film that touches too many bases but misses the home run. You get a general idea of life in a Catholic orphanage, the beauty of the Great Australian Outback and one idyllic beach, a mythical fish, a horse that fishes, women who are saucy and women on the brink of death but little idea of the boys themselves.

Yes it8217;s one, eventful summer in the lives of these boys but almost too much is happening and the director is trying to fill in so much of it that the real story itself goes astray.

In one of his first film outings after Harry Potter, Radcliffe is subdued. A little older than the other three boys 8212; all born in December, and hence the film8217;s title 8212; he is neither young enough to prance around in shorts nor sit down with the adults for an evening chit-chat. It is evident Radcliffe doesn8217;t know what to do with himself in these scenes.

It8217;s only later when the disquietingly hairy Radcliffe falls for the sexy Lucy and has an, ahem, sex scene with her that he comes alive. But by then the salubrious self-absorption of the film threatens to kill all interest.